Ad: This forum contains affiliate links to products on Amazon and eBay. More information in Terms and rules
GregP
Major
The P-51A and the A-36 (which is a P-51A with Dive brakes) have a turtledeck canopy and an airscoop OVER the propeller spinner and a 3-bladed prop. Allison V-1710-49 or later dash number engine.
The P-51B/C (B made in Inglewood and C made in Dallas) have a turtledeck canopy and the airscoop is less pronounced and UNDER the prop spinner and 4-bladed prop. Merlin V-1650-3 engine.
The P-51D/K (D made in Inglewood and K made in Dallas) have bubble canopies and the aiorscoop UNDER the prop spinner and a 4-bladed prop. Merlin V-1650-7 engine.
All of the above have a small dogtooth on the wing root where the landing gear retracts.
The P-51H has no dogtooth (and smaller wheels) but otherwise looks similar to the P-51D/K with a bubble canopy and 4-bladed prop. Merlin Edit: V-1650-9 engine.
The P-51B/C (B made in Inglewood and C made in Dallas) have a turtledeck canopy and the airscoop is less pronounced and UNDER the prop spinner and 4-bladed prop. Merlin V-1650-3 engine.
The P-51D/K (D made in Inglewood and K made in Dallas) have bubble canopies and the aiorscoop UNDER the prop spinner and a 4-bladed prop. Merlin V-1650-7 engine.
All of the above have a small dogtooth on the wing root where the landing gear retracts.
The P-51H has no dogtooth (and smaller wheels) but otherwise looks similar to the P-51D/K with a bubble canopy and 4-bladed prop. Merlin Edit: V-1650-9 engine.
Last edited:
- Thread starter
- #3
I thought that NA was inglewood and NT was dallas and that the K was a different propeller?
Also I know the basics like thag but for the the D models whats the difference between a d5 and a d20 is their a noticeable difference or is it stuff like the engine and coms and stuff of that nature?
GregP
Major
B/D-NA was Inglewood. C/K-NT was Dallas. Think NA = North American Inglewood; NT = North American Texas (Dallas).
The D had a cuffed Hamilton-Standard prop and the K had a hollow-blade Aeroproducts prop, which proved unreliable and was replaced with the uncuffed Hamilton-Standard unit with blunt blade tips.
The D had a cuffed Hamilton-Standard prop and the K had a hollow-blade Aeroproducts prop, which proved unreliable and was replaced with the uncuffed Hamilton-Standard unit with blunt blade tips.
Dallas also built 1,600 P-51D-NT alongside the P-51K.
These sites will give you some of the basics.
These sites will give you some of the basics.
P-51 Home - MustangsMustangs.com
The North American P-51 Mustang - The aircraft that changed the course of a war. P-51 History: Dutch Kindelberger, Edgar Schmued, John Leland Atwood, Raymond Rice, Larry Waite, Ed Horkey, Art Chester, Vance Breese, Louis Waite, Bob Chilton. P-51 Survivors, P-51 Production, P-51 Specifications...
www.mustangsmustangs.com
special ed
2nd Lieutenant
- 5,667
- May 13, 2018
The D model up to -5 had no dorsal fin added. Most early Ds with no dorsal fin were modded, so only early photos are reliable.
fubar57
General
GrauGeist
Generalfeldmarschall zur Luftschiff Abteilung
Pretty sure the ones with black crosses were fastest.
Remember, the roundel imposed a drag penalty...
SaparotRob
Unter Gemeine Geschwader Murmeltier XIII
GrauGeist is right. This had been discussed in an earlier thread.Pretty sure the ones with black crosses were fastest.
Remember, the roundel imposed a drag penalty...
Well we all know that, I didnt want a new poster to think we are all amateurs here.
GrauGeist
Generalfeldmarschall zur Luftschiff Abteilung
Ahh...quite right.
Mike Williams
Senior Airman
- 572
- Oct 19, 2006
There is some truth in that, given that RAF Mustangs operated at a higher boost (80"/+25lbs.) than US Mustangs (72" Hg.).
Geoffrey Sinclair
Staff Sergeant
- 923
- Sep 30, 2021
Try Original Documents the 1945 and 1946 Model Designations of Army Aircraft are a good start, but the 1945 one does not cover the later P-51 versions and the 1946 one had less detail. Note the lack of entry for the NA-73 Mustang mark I, while the P-51 was the Mustang mark IA.
Also see if you can find a copy of "index of AF Serial numbers assigned to aircraft 1958 or prior", no URL, the downloadable PDF does not seem to be where I thought it was.
Also see if you can find a copy of "index of AF Serial numbers assigned to aircraft 1958 or prior", no URL, the downloadable PDF does not seem to be where I thought it was.
AMCKen
Senior Airman
"The D model up to -5 had no dorsal fin added. Most early Ds with no dorsal fin were modded, so only early photos are reliable."
Were not the D-0 and/or D-1 still the razorback as the Bs and Cs? Perhaps 5 built, IIRC.
Were not the D-0 and/or D-1 still the razorback as the Bs and Cs? Perhaps 5 built, IIRC.
rprosperi
Airman
For a lot less work, though not for free, among the best single sources for detailed version info (with breakdown by mfg blocks, etc.) are the two P-51 books (Early - A/B and Late - D/K, plus the experimental lightweight F/G/H/J variants) available here:
www.valiant-wings.co.uk
Airframe & Miniature
Under the expert guidance of series editor Richard A Franks we publish a range of high quality exhaustively researched books covering popular
